


What's Really Been Going On

by thatsoddlyromantic



Category: Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-14 14:35:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10538484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatsoddlyromantic/pseuds/thatsoddlyromantic
Summary: Trini tells Kimberly she wants to talk to her after detention, and ends up revealing something about herself she's been trying to come to terms with.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Never thought I'd be in the Power Rangers fandom, but here I am, haha. This is the first time I've written something for this pairing... hope you enjoy! As always, comments are appreciated :)

It was during one of their Saturday detention sessions when Kimberly looked down to find a crumpled note sitting on top of her desk. She unfolded it, fully expecting it to be another message from Jason about meeting up for more training. After all, the five of them - her, Jason, Trini, Zack, and Billy - had fallen into a pattern of passing notes with super speed when no one was looking so that they could communicate important messages to each other. This note, however, was written in a familiar, decidedly feminine script that Kimberly knew without a doubt didn't belong to Jason.

 _Can we talk after detention?_ it read.

Kimberly glanced around the room until her eyes landed on the person who had sent the note. She looked at Trini questioningly, wondering what her friend wanted to talk about. Trini just offered a small shrug in response. _That's helpful,_ Kimberly thought. Still, she wanted to know the answer. Guess she'd have to spell it out herself. Kimberly quickly took out a pen, turning Trini's note over and writing a message of her own on the back.

_What do you want to talk about? And are the others involved?_

She waited a few seconds before firing the note over to Trini, who raised an eyebrow when she saw it on top of her desk. Trini picked up a pen, biting its end in contemplation for a moment before she hastily scrawled something on the paper. Less than a second later, the note was back on Kimberly's desk. She unfolded it for a second time, hoping for an answer from Trini.

_1\. It's important, ok?  
2\. Not exactly._

Kimberly sighed, frustrated by Trini's cryptic answer. Well, I guess it's better than nothing, she thought. So whatever it was that Trini wanted to talk about, it was something that she didn't want to directly involve the rest of the group in. Kimberly looked back at Trini, whose gaze was fixed upon her. Their eyes met, and Kimberly could feel the intensity behind Trini's stare. She silently mouthed an "okay," which made Trini give a small smile in return before she turned back around.

Kimberly looked up at the clock. There were only 15 minutes left of detention. She sighed, trying to pay attention to whatever the teacher was droning on about. While she made herself appear focused and attentive to avoid being called out, her thoughts kept wandering back to Trini's note. After what felt like an eternity to her the bell finally rang, signaling the end of detention. Kimberly immediately got up from her desk, putting her leather jacket back on as she did so. She scanned the room, trying to spot Trini's familiar grey beanie and bright yellow t-shirt amongst the small crowd of students.

"Looks like someone's in a hurry," Jason observed, noticing Kimberly walk past him. "Got a hot date?"

Kimberly laughed and shook her head. At that moment, she saw Trini disappear into the hallway.

"No, it's something for a friend," she quickly said, not slowing her pace. "Gotta go."

Once she was outside in the hall, Kimberly looked around for Trini again. She finally spotted her at the other end of the hallway, leaning against a locker with her headphones on. Kimberly smiled. As she walked faster down the hall though, a feeling of nervousness suddenly came over her. She had no idea what Trini wanted to talk about. Boyfriend troubles, maybe? Did Trini even _have_ a boyfriend?

Kimberly reached the other end of the hallway, giving a small nondescript wave in Trini's general direction so that she would hopefully notice her. Trini saw Kimberly standing there and took off her headphones, shoving them in her bag.

"You showed up," Trini said. Her hands were in the pockets of her jeans and she looked at Kimberly as if she didn't actually expect to see her there.

"Well, your note made it seem like something important... so, what's up?"

Trini glanced around the hallway before she looked back at Kimberly.

"Can we go somewhere to talk?"

Now it was Kimberly's turn to be surprised.

"I'm guessing you mean somewhere that's not here?"

"Exactly."

"Ummm, okay... how about that café we went to last weekend?" Kimberly offered. "It's not far away, we could walk."

"Yeah sure, that would work," Trini said. Then, without another word, she turned away from Kimberly and pushed open the double doors. Kimberly awkwardly stood there for a moment, unsure whether or not she was meant to follow.

"What are you waiting for?" Trini asked, adjusting the straps of her bag as she looked over her shoulder at Kimberly. "Let's go."

* * *

 

Just like Kimberly had said, the café wasn't far from Angel Grove High School - only a couple of blocks away in fact. The walk over was spent in silence, as Trini had put her headphones back on as soon as they'd left the building. Kimberly took that as a cue she wasn't interested in conversation. Which was ironic, given that the whole purpose of their meeting up was so Trini could talk to her. Once they had finally stepped inside the café, Trini immediately got in line to order something. Kimberly caught her by the elbow.

"Hey! I thought you said you wanted to talk," she said. She was beginning to feel exasperated by Trini's constant evasion.

"I do," Trini replied nonchalantly. "But food first."

"Okay," Kimberly replied. She looked at the menu, figuring she might as well get something herself.

Kimberly ended up deciding on ordering a raspberry lemonade. Trini had gotten a lemonade too - just the regular kind for her - and a cinnamon roll.

After their drinks were ready, the two of them looked around for an open table. Kimberly spotted one on the other side of the café near the back - perfect for private conversation. They walked over to the table, Kimberly a few steps in front of Trini. She pulled out the chair and sat down, setting her drink on the table as she did so. Trini did the same, taking a seat across from Kimberly. Then, Trini suddenly snickered.

"What?" Kimberly asked.

"Check out our drinks," Trini said, pointing at their clear plastic cups. "Pink and yellow. Just like us."

Kimberly couldn't help but smile, realizing that Trini was right.

"Oh my god, they are!" she exclaimed. "What a coincidence."

Trini was just about to take a bite of her cinnamon roll when Kimberly spoke up again. This time, she was determined to get Trini to tell her what exactly she wanted to talk about.

"Okay, Trin," she said. She crossed her arms and leaned on the table, leveling her gaze with her friend's. "Spill."

Trini put her cinnamon roll down and took a deep breath.

"So you know how when we had that campfire I said all that stuff about how I feel like an outsider and don't know how to tell my parents what's really up with me?"

Kimberly nodded.

"Well, the thing is... I'm not sure how to tell them because I don't really know."

Trini glanced down at the table and took a quick sip of her lemonade.

"Tell them what?" Kimberly asked gently. She could tell that this was a sensitive topic.

"I mean it's just something I've been thinking about lately, might not even mean anything," Trini said with a shrug. "And I've never actually told anyone this before but I think I maybe like girls."

Trini's eyes darted from side to side as she glanced around the café, making sure that no one else she knew was around to overhear her casual confession. Her words hung in the air with a silent heaviness for a moment, Kimberly's eyes widening in surprise as she realized what Trini had just told her.

"You mean... like that?"

Trini nodded.

"Yeah..." she said slowly, as if really considering what her own words meant for the first time, "like that. And you probably think I'm a freak now but I'm used to people judging me so it's whatever."

Trini leaned back in her chair and picked up her cinnamon roll, taking a big bite out of it. She looked away from Kimberly, clearly self-conscious after revealing something about herself that she'd only ever thought about before.

"I don't think you're a freak," Kimberly said quietly.

Trini looked back at her.

"You don't?"

Kimberly shook her head.

"No! And I'm not going to stop being your friend just because you're gay, if that's what you're worried about."

Trini crossed her arms defensively.

"I never said I was -"

"If you're gay," Kimberly quickly corrected. She felt bad for the assumption, not wanting to make Trini feel uncomfortable. "My point is... what you just told me doesn't change anything, Trin."

"You're not weirded out or anything?"

"What? No!" Kimberly exclaimed in surprise. "Actually, I think it's," - here Kimberly chose her words carefully - "it's really great that you're starting to figure out who you are."

 _Because I don't know that myself yet,_ Kimberly wanted to add. But this was Trini's conversation to have right now, not hers.

"And it's nice to have another girl to hang out with," she continued. "Even though I don't totally get you all the time, you're still pretty cool."

"You think I'm cool?" Trini asked, raising an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Hell yes! I wish I could be like, half as badass as you."

"Says the girl who did a backflip off a cliff," Trini smirked.

Kimberly blushed.

"Yeah... I guess that was pretty badass," she said with a smile, thinking back to that moment and the pure rush of adrenaline she had felt. She took a sip of her lemonade, savouring the sweet taste.

Then Trini leaned forward and placed a hand on top of Kimberly's, which had been resting on the edge of the table. Kimberly glanced down at their hands, surprised by the unexpected gesture.

"Promise you won't tell the rest of the team, okay?" Trini asked. She looked into Kimberly's eyes, her desperation shining through.

"I promise," Kimberly said, giving Trini a sincere smile. "Your secret's safe with me."

Trini smiled back, grateful that she could trust Kimberly. Then, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, Kim," she said. "You know... you're the only one I felt like I could talk to about what's really been going on."

Kimberly's expression softened, realizing just how alone Trini must have felt before becoming part of the team.

"You can always talk to me," she said. "I mean it."

Neither girl seemed to realize that their hands were still touching, delicately resting one one top of the other - and if they did realize, they didn't seem to mind.

"Hey, want some of my cinnamon roll?" Trini suddenly asked, pulling her hand away from Kimberly's so that she could hold up the treat in question. She tore off a small piece, offering it up.

"Yes! I definitely want to," Kimberly said. She reached for the cinnamon roll, but Trini yanked it away. "Hey no fair -"

"Whoops, too slow," Trini said teasingly. "Looks like you're gonna have to fight for it."

She grinned.

Kimberly raised an eyebrow as she picked up a fork, giving Trini a determined look.

"Challenge accepted."

Trini grabbed her own fork, and the two of them engaged in the familiar sparring routine that had ensued last time they'd come to the cafe. She stuck it in the middle of the cinnamon roll, daring Kimberly to try and claim it. Just as Kimberly was about to stick her fork in it though, Trini moved the dessert away. Kimberly wasn't giving up any time soon though. She made another attempt with her fork, more assertively this time.

As the two playfully fought over the piece of cinnamon roll (which Kimberly ended up winning), smiling and laughing with one another in the little café, Trini felt like for once she didn't have to worry about what people thought of her. Even though she pretended she didn't care, that was the exact reason she didn't like letting people in. She didn't want them to decide that they didn't like the real her and then move on to someone else. With Kimberly though, she felt like she could just be. While they'd initially come together through being outsiders and, oh yeah, Power Rangers, the two of them had ended up as friends. Maybe she even liked Kimberly as something more than a friend - she wasn't quite sure though. It was all so new and confusing to her. Wherever things went from here between her and Kimberly though, Trini knew that the bond they had was something special. And for that, she was extremely grateful.


End file.
